Dice, Camera, Action!: Buried Memories
by Wramysis
Summary: What traps might the Crew have encountered had they actually explored the Tomb of Annihilation? Or worse, who might they have discovered blocking their path? Includes some Evelyn x Diath.


This short story was originally submitted for the "Wafflefam Writing Club" prompt 'buried'. This story takes place during season 3 after the Crew's exploration of Dendar's Temple, and is a theoretical tale of what might have happened if they had further explored and entered the Tomb of Annihilation. The Crew have been beset by multiple traps and separated. It's interesting now looking back on this old fic because of it's Ev-iath undertones, given that it was written before we ever learned of the 'Awful Crew'.

* * *

Evelyn sputtered to life as she felt herself lifted out of the thick black fluid in which she had been encased. Rather than gag and cough as she once would have, gears and pulleys squeezed her inner compartments, releasing whatever liquid had managed to leak inside her. The sensation was unnerving enough that Evelyn didn't even think to worry about her appearance-particularly the soiled state of those few white pieces of fabric she still dearly held on to as reminders of her once human form.

She was still somewhat relieved, however, to see that it was Diath and not Paultin who had rescued her and was now witness to her currently disheveled state.

"Are you okay?" the rogue asked her worriedly, dabbing a cloth to her metal face to help wipe off the mess.

Evelyn nodded shakily. "_Blessed Lathander!_ If I still had to breathe, I would have drowned for sure. I must have set off some kind of trap, because all of a sudden the floor let go and I was tipped over into this pool of goop." She ran her fingers through her curly hair, half expecting to squeeze out more liquid, until she remembered that the thin wires protruding from her metal scalp only looked like hair. That realization set off a pang of loss that she quickly tried to hide from Diath. She smiled at him instead, saying, "Thank you for getting me out."

Diath watched her solemnly. "This tomb's defenses are meant to be lethal. The only way you'll make it is if we stick together."

Evelyn nodded. Their party had been forced to split up earlier when a maze trap had sealed each of them behind a different passage. She had seen no sign of the others, but was grateful that Diath had somehow found her.

The rogue took her hand to help her climb to her feet, then turned to guide her down a new passageway, keeping a firm grip on her. Evelyn was a little surprised, but didn't protest. Maybe he thought she was klutzy enough to set off more traps, and was simply trying to steer her out of trouble.

"You seem pretty sure about where you're heading, Diath," she remarked, watching him stride confidently through the maze. It was something of a relief to see him taking charge again, given how quiet and insecure he had become since their escape from the fire giants' lair.

"I've been here a while now. I've got the place pretty well mapped out."

Evelyn's eyes widened. "A while? My goodness, how long was I stuck in that trap?"

Diath didn't answer, having come to a fork in the maze. He seemed to be doing a mental calculation, and Evelyn stayed quiet so as not to distract him. She looked instead at the hand still holding hers. There was no ring there, so she guessed that Strix and Paultin were currently the ones sharing her blessing. Looking up the arm, she noted that the faint marks of decay that she had observed on him over the last few weeks had disappeared. Curious and unable to stop herself, she used her free hand to reach for Diath's collar. His quick reflexes stopped her before she could tug it all the way down, but she saw enough to know that the scars from his hanging and decapitation were now gone.

"Diath, what-" Evelyn paused, suddenly nervous. With him holding her by both hands now, she was very much aware of his proximity to her. This close, the faint stubble around his chin was noticeable, yet she could not recall seeing facial hair on him since he had taken the youth potion in Barovia. Another memory came to her then-the scent of oiled leather and faint musk that always seemed to surround Diath. She could smell nothing on him now, but as she was trapped in a body with limited senses, that didn't necessarily mean anything.

The rogue bent slightly so that their eyes were level, releasing his grip to rest his hands on her shoulders. "Everything will be okay, Evelyn. I'm here to protect you," he said reassuringly.

Evelyn was feeling anything but reassured. "What happened to you?" she asked worriedly. "Are you really Diath?"

The man cocked his head as if listening for something, then straightened and once again took hold of her hand. "I can explain later. We have to hurry if we're going to get a jump on them."

If not for the winged boots that let her glide through the vacuum of Diath's wake, Evelyn would have had a difficult time keeping up with him. The rogue led her up several flights of stairs until they stood upon an outcropping of stone overlooking the maze below. Diath motioned for her to be quiet, then directed her attention to the far end of the labyrinth.

Evelyn squinted at where he pointed, and small rotors in her eyes whirred until the image came into focus. It was Strix! The tiefling was climbing over some kind of debris that had blocked her path. Then suddenly another movement caught Evelyn's attention, and she saw a figure stealthily move atop one of the walls of the maze just ahead of Strix, keeping itself hidden from her.

"C'mon, we gotta go help Strix!" cried Evelyn urgently, tugging against Diath's grip.

The rogue shook his head. "Look closer," he instructed calmly.

Evelyn turned her attention back to the maze. The mysterious figure on the wall ahead of Strix seemed familiar, and after another few seconds, she saw that it was Paultin! She was surprised at how stealthily he moved, and a part of her realized that she had never actually seen Paultin in action when he was completely sober. Evelyn could not spot their son Simon anywhere around, and as he was the one normally carrying the bard's supply of wine, this somewhat made sense. But she was again astounded a moment later when Paultin, now in an adjoining passage ahead of Strix's path, toppled a statue to the ground. As it hit the floor, a hidden pitfall appeared underneath it, but was soon covered up by the pile of shattered stone. Strix suddenly rounded the corner and stared in surprise at the broken heap, then gingerly climbed over the crumbled statue to land safely on the other side, completely unaware of the trap she had just avoided.

"He's helping her," observed Evelyn, sighing in relief. "But why doesn't he show himself?"

"We were commanded not to," said Diath. Upon hearing those words, something clicked in Evelyn's brain, and Diath's odd behavior finally made sense to her. She tried to back away from him, but he held her firmly. "Wait, Evelyn, please listen. I need you to understand."

"Go on," she told him grimly, while with her free hand she loosened Treebane from her belt.

"The Sewn Sisters create copies of adventurers that enter Omu in order to secretly replace any who die. Normally, their goal is to sabotage a group so that they never make it to the Soulmonger. But Diath, Strix and Paultin signed some kind of contract with them, so the rules for them are different. The hags are willing to give one of you a fair shot at Acererak. But only one of you. They have wagers on which of you will make it. So our job is to secretly help the person our own hag favors."

"That sounds downright loathsome," muttered Evelyn darkly. "So a hag is actually betting on me to win?"

Diath's copy looked remorsefully down at his feet. "No. Their magic couldn't duplicate your metal body. I was supposed to help Diath, but I couldn't let him win. He doesn't deserve to."

"What do you mean?" cried Evelyn in outrage. "Diath is the most noble, selfless person I know!"

"I know him better than you," replied the copy grimly. "You don't know the horrors he has committed. You can't see the darkness that stains his soul."

"Well..." began Evelyn, somewhat flustered, "I mean, no one's perfect."

The eyes of Diath's clone flashed golden for a moment, startling her. "My soul is pure!" the copy declared. "I have no sins to weigh me down." And suddenly, to Evelyn's surprise, wings of pure light appeared on either side of him as he rose several feet into the air.

"The hags made you into an aasimar?" asked Evelyn, staring at him in disbelief. With Diath still holding her, she was forced to use her winged boots to stay level with him.

"No," the copy frowned. "I have always been this way. As I said, I know Diath better than any of you. Better than he knows himself."

Although her senses were dulled by her construct body, Evelyn could somehow still feel the warmth of his celestial energy. She felt herself drawn to that holy light, so similar to the brightness of her beloved Morninglord. Diath's face also radiated that golden angelic glow, and Evelyn let go of her weapon to eagerly reach out and touch him. Diath gently took her prodding fingers to his lips and kissed them.

"Evelyn," he whispered hoarsely, his voice tinged with both desire and regret. "We are both children of the light. But you are the only one worthy of facing Acererak. No one else."

"No, but wait..." she protested, her thoughts scattered as she struggled to cope with these new revelations. "Diath... the other Diath, he can still help. And Paultin and Strix, too!"

The clone hissed in disgust as she named the others. "How can you stand to be among such corrupt beings? A demon spawn, and a man whose mind has been touched by dark gods?"

Evelyn looked at Diath's copy with dawning realization and sadness. "Diath...don't you remember when you told us the story of your amethyst, how you said other people were foolish for only seeing what's on the surface?"

The rogue's eyes narrowed. "I don't recall Diath ever telling you that story. But my memories only include things up to the time that I was created." He now inspected her more closely, and tentatively asked her, "What else did he tell you about us?"

Evelyn hesitated, knowing that the feelings Diath expressed to her were private, and that even if this stranger wore his face, he was not the same man. "You...you said I was your guiding light. That no star shined as brightly as I did."

The clone smiled down at her. Before Evelyn could stop him, he had enveloped his wings around her, and kissed her.

Whatever device acted as her heart now beat frantically inside Evelyn's chest. She had never been kissed that way before, and she thought it was somewhat ironic that her first time should be when she was in a body that could not feel. Yet she realized that her lips had been designed with delicate sensors that still allowed her to appreciate the pressure of his mouth against hers. The comfort of his warm light surrounding her was almost intoxicating, as was the safety of his embrace. She had always been the pillar of support that shouldered the burdens of others, but now she knew that there was someone who was strong enough to do the same for her.

And yet... it could not be. She pushed herself away from him, and commanded her boots to drop her back to the ground. Diath's clone extinguished his wings and dexterously landed beside her. He stared at her with a confused expression, waiting for her to explain.

"You said that you needed me to show you what was right. Well _that wasn't_ _right_, Diath. That was very, very wrong. The real Diath loves Strix, just as I love Paultin. You and I... that wasn't real."

"Deny it if you wish, but I know you felt something, just as I did," the aasimar insisted. "The two of us together make far more sense than _you with that brooding Vistani_, or me with that she-devil. _Look at them_," he urged her, pointing back towards the maze where Paultin continued to watch over Strix. "The Paultin and Strix copies quickly realized that _they_ shared a bond, and they made a pact to protect each other's charges and make sure they were the last two left standing. The only way you'll live to reach Acererak is for us work together too."

"I told you, I won't fight that thing alone; I don't care about the hags and their stupid bet. We'll kill Acererak and end the death curse together-_all of us_."

"You're in denial!" the clone shot back. "This place was designed as a tomb for gods, let alone mortals like yourselves. Acererak has arcane knowledge and abilities that you can't even imagine. He is wielding a power that is being felt across this entire world! What chance can you possibly have?" His voice grew more and more frantic, and Evelyn was actually touched because she realized that his fear was for her safety. But she herself had others to worry about.

"Where's the real Diath?" she asked him.

"I told you, _I_ am more real than-"

"You know what I mean," said Evelyn impatiently, her hand once again reaching for her weapon.

The clone grunted in irritation. "He's safe for now. But he won't be for long, without someone watching over him."

Evelyn let her eyes roam back over the maze. From this vantage point, she should be able to find him eventually. But there was one other person on her mind. "What about Paultin?"

Diath turned and spat. "Strix's copy is probably with him. I told you, they made an alliance to keep each other's originals safe."

Evelyn pondered over the situation. "Well, once I've gathered up the rest of the Crew, we'll just thank your fellow clones for their help, and explain that we don't need them any more because we all plan on making it to the Soulmonger together."

"That's not going to work," he growled in frustration. "I told you, the hags have a bet. If you let on that you know about it, the other clones will stop concealing themselves and start attacking you directly to make sure that you all don't survive."

_That did sound like a problem_. Evelyn wished the real Diath was with her; he was much better at coming up with strategies than she was.

Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly spotted the rogue's clone activate his wings and take off flying over the maze. Evelyn reflexively dove after him, activating her boots. She struggled to keep up, and shouted out to him, "Where are you going?" He didn't answer, but soon enough she could see that he was heading towards Strix. The tiefling was focused on the passage in front of her, completely unaware of what was happening overhead, but Paultin's clone seemed to have no trouble spotting them from atop his perch on the wall. He strummed a few cords on his mandolin, and suddenly he hovered protectively over that section of the maze. Diath's copy stopped right in front of him.

"Don't interfere," the fake Paultin warned him, just as Evelyn finally caught up. But Diath pointed a finger back at her and said, "She already knows."

Paultin's expression brightened. "So it's a _free for all_ now I take it?" he remarked eagerly. "Good, I was getting tired of saving the tiefling's life." He turned back to face the maze, and with a quick incantation, shot a thunder wave at Strix's location.

"No!" cried Evelyn, diving down in that direction. She heard a clash behind her, and looked over her shoulder to see that the two clones were now fighting each other. Just as well, she had her own hands full as she hovered over the blasted passage, looking for any sign of her friend.

A cloud of mist suddenly rose out from a section of debris, and Evelyn sighed in relief as she recognized Strix's gaseous form. Evelyn willed some of her healing power to flow into Strix, and she saw the tiefling return to a solid state, looking battered but still alive.

"Evelyn! I've been looking all over for you guys!" she screamed anxiously, hopping up and down. Evelyn smiled in relief at her friend's antics, grabbing her into a hug that she was surprised the witch did not shy away from. _She really must have been scared!_

A loud blast drew both of their attention upwards. Evelyn grimaced and reached out to hold Strix's hands reassuringly. "Now you just stay down here a minute where it's safe and let me handle this, okay? I promise I'm not going anywhere."

Strix's eyes widened nervously, but she nodded. Evelyn smiled in encouragement, then commanded her boots to take her upwards. There was only one other figure in the sky now, and she noted in dismay that it was Paultin's clone. He had noticed her as well.

"Hello there, Evie. Nice day to die, isn't it?"

She held onto the shaft of Treebane in tightened fists, ignoring the nervous spasms that shot through her mechanical muscles. _This isn't the real Paultin_, she had to mentally remind herself._ You have to attack him, or he'll hurt you just like he did Diath._ She took a quick second to scan the maze below and try to spot the other clone, but she could not find him. She did, however, catch a glimpse of something reassuring.

"Are you looking for your boyfriend? I gotta say, I was a little hurt when he told me he was sacrificing himself for you. I thought you and I had a thing, and then you go and betray me with _that guy?_"

"You're better than this, Paultin," she told him, hoping her words might trigger a sympathetic response. But the bard merely laughed.

"Yeah, I'm loads better than the real Paultin. What has that drunken fool ever managed to accomplish? At least I don't pretend to be some kind of hero."

His body blurred for a second, and suddenly he appeared directly in front of her. He tried to pierce her with his longsword, but he seemed to have forgotten that she was now mostly made of metal. The sword scratched a deep groove into her breastplate, but she was otherwise unharmed. Paultin frowned in disappointment, then parried the follow up swing of her axe.

"Very well, if you aren't going to make this easy for me, I'll just bring out the big guns now. Let's see how you like a thunder wave to the face!"

There was absolutely no way she could dodge that spell point-blank, but she prayed she wouldn't have to. She turned to look down at the small construct she had been watching slowly make its way towards them, and cried down to him, "Simon, this man isn't your real father! Shoot him down!"

A dart fired upwards and struck Paultin's thigh, ripping through the fabric. Evelyn looked at the wound nervously, wondering if it might have only grazed him. The clone pressed a hand over the area, then stared at Evelyn in disbelief. "What the h-", he began, then dropped like a stone, crashing into the maze below. Evelyn dove down toward Simon, embracing him in gratitude, but also turning his face so that he wouldn't have to see the body.

"Good boy, Simon. Everything's gonna be all right, now. We're gonna go find your real daddy." _But first, there was someone else she needed to check on._

Evelyn found the Diath clone not far from where Paultin had fallen, and was thankful that Strix had been spared the sight of him. He had somehow been able to cling to life despite the severity of his injuries, perhaps thanks to his celestial nature. But the life in his eyes was quickly fading.

"Paultin...clone...dead?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes Diath. Strix and I are safe, thanks to you." She knelt beside him and pressed a hand over his forehead, praying for Lathander to ease his pain.

"Good," he sighed, closing his eyes. "One left... be careful." He shakily raised an arm towards her, and she took the proferred hand in both of hers.

"We will be. You'll see, Diath, our family will make it through this together."

The clone smiled as a bright light shone around him, and suddenly his entire form winked away.

Her construct son turned his head completely around, looking at Evelyn with an expression of shock. She patted his jester cap comfortingly, but found she could not speak. There were no words that could express all of the fears and emotions she had just experienced.

_How would the others react to the news about their clones, or Evelyn's role in their deaths? What would Diath and Paultin think of her now? _And perhaps more importantly,_ would she ever be able to think of Diath or Paultin the same way again?_

_No, I need to forget this ever happened. They weren't real, NONE of this was real_, she told herself. _These memories need to stay buried._

Having made that decision, she began to feel somewhat better. She would find a way to bring up Strix's clone to the others later. Surely once they were back together again, Diath would come up with a of plan. He always did.

_Yes, everything would turn out all right._


End file.
